This strange but true story takes place in the summer of 2001, in Stillwater, Minnesota.

We had noticed lots of flying ants...black ants with wings flying around the yard. We lived in an old Victorian home and the windows were not that tight. They started coming into the house, especially the kitchen. I was totally wigged out about these winged creatures, so I would squash them as I saw them in the house. I complained to my family about them, but they couldn't offer any solutions. So, I did some research online about swarming ants and found that they like to sometimes get into things like radios and other appliances. Now, that really wigged me out because I kept a radio on the counter. I immediately removed the radio to another location. Over the next couple days, all I could do was wipe them up as I saw them. Then - like poof - they were gone.

A day or so after they had left, my parents came over one evening to have supper with us.  My Dad and I ran a quick errand, while Mom stayed home to start the meal preparation.  When we arrived home a short time later, we found my Mom in the kitchen with my food chopper and a bunch of gray onions.  She was hysterical - kind of like between laughing and being totally grossed out.  She said. "Oh, dear, I think I found your ants!"  The ants had swarmed into that tiny hand held food chopper.  I guess to nest or something.  The chopper had been stored in a drawer and had not been left out on the counter.  Oh my, I get the willies just remembering it!  With mouths wide open in disbelief, Mom relayed to us how she started chopping the beautiful white onions and just happened to look down to see that they had turned all gray!  She kept chopping and then noticed bits of black and the onions getting darker.  It was then she realized - ants!  Only to be completely grossed out.  My Dad grabbed the chopper and started taking it apart under hot running water.  The ants just started washing out.  They kept coming and coming.  It took about fifteen minutes to get them all out.  It was amazing how many were in there - a swarm of them.  I guess they got up into the handle or something.  Did I ever use the chopper again?  Yes, but always half waiting for the onions to turn gray!